The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Subject Description Form
Subject Code
CC2C20P
Readings in Daoist Texts 道家與道教經典導讀
Subject Title
Credit Value
3
Level
2
Pre-requisite /
requisite/
Exclusion
Co-
Objectives
Exclusion subjects for CC2C20: CC2C20P and CC217
Exclusion subjects for CC2C20P: CC2C20 and CC217
1. To introduce students to the intellectual foundation of China through reading selected
texts from the masters of philosophical and religious Daoism
2. To enable students to understand influential Chinese views on cosmology, ethics,
personal cultivation, and human and social relations
3. To introduce students to the challenges and rewards of hermeneutics and exegesis
4. To train students in the reading of early Chinese literature, whether in the original
Chinese or in translation.
Intended Learning
Outcomes
Upon completion of the subject, students will be able to:
(a) Demonstrate familiarity with basic terms and concepts of philosophical and
religious Daoism.
(b) Understand in depth the structure and content of core works in the Daoist tradition.
(c) Appreciate the wide variety of interpretations of Daoist texts from their appearance
to the present day
(d) In the Mandarin version of the class to read classical Chinese better, and in the
English version to appreciate the problems inherent in reading works in translation
Subject Synopsis/
Indicative Syllabus
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The context in which the first Daoist works appeared
Introduction to the Zhuangzi
Interpretations of the Zhuangzi
Introduction to the Daodejing
Philosophical interpretations of the Daodejing
The Daodejing in religious Daoism
Modern readings of the Daodejing
Readings from early Daoist scriptures: the Celestial Masters
Ge Hong’s Bao pu zi
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Teaching/Learning
Methodology
Biographies of Transcendents
Daoist writings in the Shangqing tradition
Lingbao Daoism
Quanzhen Daoism
Daoism’s contemporary legacy
Discussion and debate of classical ideas and precepts against contemporary moral issues
and ethical expressions will be engaged throughout the course to motivate the students
to formulate a response to issues concerning their life and living environment.
Students will read annotated topical texts assigned before class. Teacher in lecture will
make sure basic textual understanding is achieved and then introduce areas that have
been disputed by readers in the past or are disputed by contemporary scholarship.
Selected students in each lecture will be required to explain key passages in the text
assigned for the week.
Periodic on-line interactive quizzes will ensure students are reading and understanding
the assigned reading.
For the tutorial class, students will read assigned and/or self-selected writings on
contemporary issues and discuss them in terms of the ideas and propositions found in
the texts discussed in the lectures. Their discussions will be turned into short papers for
further comments by teacher and classmates. These papers will then be developed into
full term papers.
Assessment Methods in
Alignment with
Intended Learning
Outcomes
Student Study Effort
Required
Specific assessment
methods/tasks
% weighting
Intended subject learning outcomes to
be assessed (Please tick as appropriate)
a
b
c
d
1. Class participation
20%
ü
ü
2. Two quizzes
40%
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
3. Term paper (Mandarin
version); or Final
Exam (English
version)
40%
Total
100 %
Class contact:
§
Lectures
26Hrs.
§
Tutorials
13 Hrs.
Other student study effort:
§
Readings
42 Hrs.
§
Discussion
6 Hrs.
§
Writing
36 Hrs.
Total student study effort
Reading List and
References
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123 Hrs.
牟鍾鑒，《中國道教》，香港：青松出版社，2010 年
李養正 主編，《道敎綜論》，香港：青松觀道教學院，2001 年
蔣伯潛、蔣祖怡，《諸子與理學》，上海：上海書店出版社，1997 年
陳鼓應、蔣麗梅，《老子》，香港：中華書局，2012 年
陳鼓應、蔣麗梅，《莊子》，香港：中華書局，2012 年
潘樹仁，《淮南鴻烈》，香港：中華書局，2013 年
劉仲宇，《太上玄門早課》，香港：青松出版社，2005 年
劉仲宇，《清微禮斗科》，香港：青松出版社，2012 年
潘崇賢、梁發 主編：《道教與星斗信仰》下，山東：齊魯書社，2014 年
游子安：<敷化宇內 : 清代以來關帝善書及其信仰的傳播>，
《香港中文大學中國文化研究所學報》，第 50 期(2010 年 1 月)